Snapshots
by Namacub95
Summary: A series of drabbles exploring the relationship between Sirius Orion Black and Samantha Ellen Clearwater. Featuring The Marauders era characters and some OCs
1. The Date That Shall Not Be Mentioned

**Snapshots**

**The Date That Shall Not Be Mentioned**

_**I'm NOT JK Rowling and I don't own Harry Potter!**__ This is written for __EvylinDevilin's__ Choose Your Path Challenge. _

"Bloody hell! Are they at it again?" James asked as yelling reached his ears.

"Yep." Remus replied not taking his eyes of his Transfiguration textbook. James rolled his eyes and sat down beside Remus in one of the armchairs by the fire. People in the Common Room looked over at the portrait hole where the sound of a fierce argument was coming from.

"This is the third time this week!" James frowned.

"I know."

"They argue like an old married couple." James complained as the yelling increased in volume and profanity. "A loud old married couple."

"Try telling them that mate." Remus replied ignoring the shrieking that came from outside the portrait hole.

"What is it this time?" James asked pulling out his half completed Charms homework.

"Sirius convinced Sam's younger brother to spy on her." Remus answered "Apparently Sirius was going to set up a prank and needed Philip to get some "inside information""

"Let me guess...Sirius was trying to ask her out again huh?"

"Got it in one. They're like you and Lily only with more swearing."

"Yeah I don't remember Lily ever saying something about my wand being shoved up my arse or anything about my--"

"Let's not go there mate."

"Yeah on second thoughts best leave that one alone."

The yelling got louder and louder and eventually James and Remus abandoned the Common Room for the boys' dormitory. Sirius stormed into the room twenty minutes later and started to complain loudly about Samantha. Remus sat with his text book open on the bed, Peter watched Sirius like he was a bomb about to go off and James sat listening but looking like he wasn't paying attention.

"I only wanted her brother to get her diary or something! She acts as if I told him to offer himself on a silver platter to a dragon! God's sake! Sometimes I wonder why I bother with Samantha bloody Clearwater! The girl is a lunatic! She accused me of putting ideas in her brother's head! If she'd seen what Philip did on his own she would think I was the responsible one! I mean did you see what he did to those first years the other week! That should've been us!"

Remus and James shared a look and went back to trying to complete their potions homework.

"Why don't you just ask her out?" Remus asked in an exasperated tone.

"It would imply that I actually like the girl!" Sirius countered.

"If you don't like her then why the hell are you asking her out?" James asked.

"Have you seen Sam?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow. "She's got every boy after her! Even the bloody Slytherins!"

"Good point well presented, but do you actually like Sam?" James asked.

"Yes." Sirius said after a few minutes.

"Then walk up to her tomorrow in Transfiguration and say "Will you go out with me Samantha"" James said.

"And how many times have you said that to Lily?" Sirius asked

"Erm…Dunno." James said scratching the back of his head while trying to think "A couple?"

"And how many times has she said yes?"

"None."

"Then you see the problem with this plan."

"But the difference is--" Began James but Sirius cut him off.

"We're like you and Lily with more swearing."

James rolled his eyes at his friend "If you don't ask her out then I'll do it for you." He warned.

"You wouldn't."

"He would." Remus and Peter said at the same time.

"I would you know."

"Piss off James!" Sirius grumbled collapsing on his own bed "And what's the answer to question twelve on the Transfiguration homework?"

Three days had passed with no incidents or arguments from either Sirius or Samantha, if anything they seemed to be ignoring each other. They didn't talk to each other unless it was absolutely necessary like in Potions, but even then they didn't say much.

James was sure that one way or the other they would talk to one an other and two days later an opportunity arose. Lily Evans was Samantha's friend so obviously she knew almost everything that James would need if he were to succeed in getting the two of them to go out with each other.

"C'mon Evans!" James pleaded.

"For the last time I won't go out with you!" The red head snapped spinning around to face him. "So stop asking!"

"I wasn't going to ask that!" James cried indignantly

"Oh really?" Lily's voice was heavy with sarcasm.

"I just need some help!"

"For another one of your stupid pranks? Dream on!"

"No! I need you to help me set Sirius and Sam on a date!" James said grabbing Lily's wrist and dragging her behind a tapestry with her yelling and fighting all the way.

"What makes you think I would help you!" Lily hissed.

"So you like all the _very_ loud arguments?" James asked with a raised eyebrow. Lily seemed to ponder this for a few minutes and then sighed loudly.

"I can't believe the words are coming out of my mouth but…I think your right. Just how exactly do you think putting them on a _date_ will stop them fighting?"

"Trust me it'll work!" James stated confidently.

"Tell me why I'm very sceptical about that sentence."

"Look Evans, if I know anything is that this will work."

"Fine…but if this all goes south I had nothing to do with this." Lily said with a note of finality and pushed past James and out from behind the tapestry.

"And wait Evans! Will--" James called sticking his head out from behind the tapestry.

"Not going to happen Potter." Lily called back, not even turning to look at him.

James frowned as he read the plan over again, he wasn't so sure about this anymore. Lily, Remus and himself had worked on their plan for the best part of a week and had only put the finishing touches on it the previous night.

"Mate don't give yourself a brain haemorrhage." Sirius teased. James quickly whipped the parchment into his pocket and Sirius raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hey Padfoot!" James said cheerfully.

"Uh…Hi Prongs?"

"So…what's up with you?" James asked

"I think I should be asking you that question." Sirius replied. "And I found this lying on my bed."

Sirius dove into his pocket and retrieved a crumpled piece of parchment before throwing it at James. James caught it easily and smoothed out the paper to read it.

_Dear Sirius,_

_I'm sorry about the argument the other night it was wrong of me to accuse you. Philip has just told me the truth and realize that I had overreacted. Can you meet me at the Room of Requirement tonight? I'd like to talk to you._

_Samantha_

James grinned, the plan was falling into place. It was a very good forgery he had to admit Lily had outdone herself this time.

"Room of Requirement?" James said acting confused "Where's that?"

"Seventh floor." Sirius replied. "You think I should go? Something seems off…Sam's never apologised or admitted she was wrong before."

"Don't knock it mate." James said crumpling the paper again and throwing it back to Sirius. "Just go and see what she wants."

"I dunno…something still seems off."

"Mate trust me, just go." James said.

"Fine." Sirius said with a shrug "I'll go but I still think something's off."

James smirked as his friend walked away _Step one: Complete_!

Lily walked with Samantha to the Room of Requirement and Samantha was all but jumping for joy. Lily smiled at her friend's enthusiasm but she wondered how enthusiastic she would be when she saw just who she was going on a date with.

Samantha's golden hair was tied in a long pony tail and it made her heart shaped face and dark blue eyes more noticeable. Lily smiled at her friend, Sirius wouldn't know what hit him.

"I can't believe Amos asked me out!" Samantha exclaimed.

"You're lucky." Lily said with a smile.

"If I was lucky I would be able to see the answers to next weeks Transfiguration test." Samantha closed her eyes "I foresee that McGonagall will ask about Transfiguration."

"That's useful." Lily laughed.

"I try my hardest Lily." Samantha said with a grin.

"Well I have to go now so I'll see you later and you can tell me all about your date with Amos." Lily said.

"See you later Lily!" Samantha called after her friend. Samantha stood at the barren stretch of wall waiting for Amos to show up. Five minutes past and she heard the sound of running footsteps behind her. Samantha grinned and turned around to say something and her face fell.

"What the--" she started when she saw Sirius.

"Hey Sam."

"Samantha! For the last time my name is Samantha!"

"Alright Samantha!" Sirius said holding up his hands in surrender. "I'm here now so what do you want to talk to me about?"

"Talk to you?" Samantha asked "I don't want to talk to you! I'm waiting for Amos!"

"But you sent me a letter--"

"I never sent you a bloody letter!"

"Then I must be imagining things when I look at this!" Sirius snapped digging into his pocket and pulling out the letter. Samantha grabbed the letter and scanned the parchment looking more furious by the minute.

"I never sent that!" Samantha said shoving the letter back at Sirius.

"If you didn't then who did?" Sirius asked shoving the letter into his pocket yet again.

"How am I supposed to know?!" Samantha said. Sirius rolled his eyes at the furious girl

"Do you want to just go into the Room of Requirement?" Sirius asked. Samantha looked torn but gave a small sigh.

"Alright but you don't mention this…_ever_." Samantha warned and Sirius gave a jerky nod before both of them vanished through the door.

Around the corner at the top of the corridor James gave Remus a high five and Lily looked smug.

"I told you that would work." She stated.


	2. Unexpected Gift

**Snapshots**

**Unexpected Gift**

_**I'm NOT JK Rowling and I don't own Harry Potter!**__ This is written for __EvylinDevilin's__ Choose Your Path Challenge_

"It's Samantha's birthday in two days." Sirius said breaking the silence between him and James.

"I know." James replied.

"I haven't gotten her anything."

"You never get her anything or even wish her Happy Birthday."

"Well I've decided I'm going to get her something!" Sirius said "I've no clue what though."

"Simple!" James exclaimed "Get her some flowers or chocolates, you know stuff girls like."

"She'll think I waited to the last minute!" Sirius said.

"You did wait until the last minute." James pointed out.

"I know! But she can't know or else my head will be parting company with my body! We've only just started to be civil to each other and I really don't want her hating me all over again."

"Alright it's your call mate." James said with a shrug. "But I would do something that she'd remember."

"And that's giving her flowers and chocolates?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey! At least she wouldn't forget you going up to her and giving her a snog." James laughed and Sirius glared at him.

"I hate you Prongs."

"I love you too Padfoot." James grinned "In a complete straight way."

Sirius rolled his eyes at James and went back to thinking about Samantha's gift. He had a big problem, since he and Samantha were now on somewhat friendly terms he had to get her a birthday gift. He didn't even know what she liked!

Sirius resolved to get Samantha something when he went to Hogsmead tomorrow. If all else failed he could always get her something from Honeydukes.

But then Sirius actually got to Hogsmead and hit a mental brick wall. He didn't know what she liked so how on earth was he supposed to pick something? _They should really write a guide book for this kind of thing_ he thought. Without really thinking of anything else he bolted into Honeydukes and prayed for something to hit him. As if one cue someone slammed into him as he opened the shop door.

"Ow!" Sirius groaned rubbing his now throbbing shoulder.

"I'm so sorry!" Sirius's heart stopped, he had slammed right into Samantha.

"Samantha! What are you doing here?" Sirius asked feeling as if God really was against him.

"Uh…getting some sweets?" Samantha answered holding up a bag of liquorice wands.

"Oh right." Sirius muttered "So…um…it's your4 birthday tomorrow!" he said the first thing that had come into his mind other than _Help me_.

"Yep," Samantha replied "Sixteen tomorrow."

"It's not all it's cracked up to be you know." Sirius said with a shrug.

"Still, sixteen is a big deal!" Samantha said. "Well, Alice and Frank are waiting for me so bye Sirius."

Sirius gave her a small smile and stepped to the side to let her pass before heading into Honeydukes. As usual on a Hogsmead weekend the shop was crowded with students. Sirius glanced around hopeless before quickly purchasing some Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and leaving the store.

After searching every store and stand in Hogsmead village for a suitable present for Samantha, Sirius admitted defeat. He sat moodily in the Three Broomsticks with James, Remus and Peter with a tankard of untouched Butterbeer in front of him.

"Oh cheer up Padfoot!" James said noticing his best friend's bad mood.

"I looked everywhere!" Sirius said in an exasperated tone "Every shop and nothing! Why is it so hard to get a decent birthday gift? All I've got all day is some Dungbombs and a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans!"

"Give her the Bertie Botts Beans then!" James suggested.

"No way! I love them too much!" Sirius replied "And Sam hates Dungbombs…I found that out when I let one off accidentally in the Common Room remember?"

"How could we forget?" Remus asked "It smelt like dung for weeks afterwards!"

"And I got an ear bashing from Sam and Lily." Sirius winced at the memory of the two furious girls.

"Magic must be studied, mastered and used for good, not for idiotic pranks!" James mimicked Samantha "The look on your face was priceless! You looked like you were about to cry!"

"Shut up Prongs." Sirius muttered "And for God's sake Mooney! Wormtail! Stop laughing!"

Remus was clutching his side and Peter was pounding the table, both were laughing hysterically and soon James joined in while Sirius looked ready to do murder. Sirius quickly got up and stormed out of the Three Broomsticks with his friends' laughter ringing in his ears.

He stormed furious through the village back to Hogwarts when something caught his eye in a shop window. He took a couple of steps back and saw what had caught his eye was a small and very unremarkable blue chocker necklace with a small pendant. Sirius grinned and walked into the shop.

Samantha smiled as she went to be the next night. Lily had arranged a party in the Common Room and almost everyone had come. James and Sirius had hoisted her onto their shoulders and paraded around the Common Room singing Happy Birthday, very out of tune which caused her to laugh so hard that she couldn't breathe.

She stopped suddenly because lying on her bed was a small and badly wrapped package that she was sure hadn't been there before. She picked it up then she carefully unwrapped it and gave a small gasp when she saw what was inside it. A beautiful necklace and a small card.

_I hope you like your birthday present-Sirius_

Samantha smiled and tied pit around her neck, wouldn't tell him until years later that the necklace was one of her favourite birthday gifts.


	3. Broken Mind

**Snapshots**

**Broken Mind**

_**I'm NOT JK Rowling and I don't own Harry Potter!**__ This is written for __EvylinDevilin's__ Choose Your Path Challenge. _

"You're kidding me!" Sirius laughed.

"I'm not! I swear!" Samantha replied.

"You're lying! I don't believe you! No way that's true!" Sirius grinned.

"It is as true as it gets." Samantha said "No joke! The boil she had was the size of my fist!" Samantha held up her clenched fist for emphasis.

"How'd she get it?" Sirius asked when he had finally stopped laughing.

"Claimed that she got it from a jinx tea cup." Samantha shrugged. The door to the flat swung open and Remus walked in.

"Hey Remus." Samantha called from the small kitchen. "Want some dinner? It's Spaghetti and Meatballs."

"Yeah thanks! Aren't you two having anything?" Remus answered hanging up his coat on the crowded coat rack before flopping down on the sofa beside Sirius.

"Already had some." Samantha answered "Hold on a minute and I'll have yours ready."

"Rough day?" Sirius asked.

"'S alright really." Remus replied. "You?"

"Can't complain."

"How are James and Lily?"

"Prongs is upset that he can't do anything and Lily's worried sick."

"I'm visiting Lily tonight." Samantha said placing a plate of steaming spaghetti and meatballs in front of Remus. "Apparently Harry been crying for his "Auntie Sam""

"Well you go on." Sirius said getting up and placing a kiss on her forehead "We'll be fine for one night besides you haven't seen Lily in three weeks."

"Just promise me that there will be a flat to come back to." Samantha said with a grin. Sirius placed a hand over his heart

"I solemnly swear--"

"You're up to no good." Samantha finished. "Remus can you make sure he behaves?"

"Not promising anything." Remus answered. Samantha laughed and gave Sirius a peck on the cheek before grabbing her coat and walking out the door.

Sunlight burned Sirius's eyelids forcing him awake. He opened his eyes to the familiar sight of his bedroom's ceiling. He rolled on his side to see if Samantha was awake but the other side of the bed was empty and it hadn't been slept in. Sirius sat up confused.

"Mooney!" He called.

"Wuzzup Sirius." Was the reply, slurred with sleep.

"Did you see Sam come in last night?" There was a long silence from the next room.

"No, I don't think so." Remus answered "She's not with you?"

"No or I wouldn't be asking." Sirius swung his legs out of bed and walked to his bedroom door. _Maybe she fell asleep on the sofa?_ He thought but it was quickly dismissed when he saw the empty living room. Sirius felt a bubble of fear rise in him _she could've stayed with James and Lily_ he thought but a tap on the window snapped him out of his thoughts.

A tawny owl that he had never seen before was waiting at the window with a message tied to its leg. Sirius opened the window and the owl fluttered in and landed on the small wobbly coffee table. The table wobbled somewhat when the owl landed on it but thankfully remained standing.

Sirius bent down and untied the letter from the owl's leg and as soon as the message had been removed the owl fluttered away out the window. Sirius stared after it for a moment and then down at the letter that bore the seal for St Mungos. He frowned thinking it a letter for Samantha but instead it bore his name. He tore open the letter and began to read

_Dear Mr Black,_

_We are writing to you due to an arrival at St Mungos late last night. The patient has been identified as Miss Samantha Clearwater and we have learned that she resides with you and a Mr Remus Lupin. We wish to inform you that she has been moved to an intensive care unit and we wish to offer our condolences. _

_Yours Sincerely_

_Patrick Moore_

_Senior Healer, St Mungo's __Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries._

Sirius stared at the letter in disbelief and shock, _intensive care unit_ the words screamed at him on the page. He clutched the letter in his hand rooted to the spot.

"What's going on Sirius?" Remus asked peering over his shoulder at the letter. Sirius didn't respond but shoved the letter at Remus's chest and stormed to the fireplace. He took a handful of power from the small pot lying on the mantelpiece and threw it into the flames.

"Sirius!" Remus called after him.

"What?!" Sirius snapped.

"You need to get dressed first." Remus said noting that he was only wearing his boxers and an old t-shirt.

Finally dressed and having eaten some breakfast Sirius made his way to St Mungos fear clutching at his heart. What had happened to Samantha? He had talked to James and apparently she had come to their house, talked with Lily, played a little with Harry and then left. Something must have happened when she was traveling between Godric's Hallow and their flat.

Upon entering the hospital he was directed to the fourth floor and told to head down past the Janus Thickey Ward and take the first left. He arrived outside a small room with the words _Intensive Care Unit_ printed in large letters over the door. Sirius hesitated for a brief second before giving the door a small knock.

A small middle-aged woman opened the door to him and looked him up and down.

"I'll take it your Mr. Black then? Or are you Mr. Lupin?" she asked.

"I'm Sirius Black…is Samantha there?" he asked a small bubble of fear rising in him. He wondered whether Samantha would be unconscious or in a coma or some other horrible condition. The woman nodded

"Aye," the woman replied looking grim "She hasn't spoken a word since she regained consciousness…poor dear. She wrote down your names and address that's the only way we could contact you."

"What happened to her?" Sirius was getting more worried for his fiancé by the minute. The woman looked at him; Sirius could tell that she pitied him.

"Poor dear was attacked by Death Eaters…they tortured her something dreadful…they left her in an alley when she lost consciousness."

Sirius paled "T-They didn't…you know…did they?" he asked fearful of the answer.

"Oh dear lord no!" The woman exclaimed "They didn't touch her like that."

"Thank God." Sirius murmured to himself.

"But her mind is…fractured." The woman continued "She _is_ doing better…well better than when she was first admitted. She will occasionally respond to a statement I make… she periodically becomes aware of her surroundings--"

"Can I see her?" Sirius asked.

"Well…I…" the woman said looking up at the desperate man "Go ahead…but mind you don't upset her!" Sirius gave the woman a small nod and she stepped aside to let him into the room. Sirius gave her a small half smile and stepped into the room.

The room was light and airy with a large window which showed the blue sky outside. Sirius's gaze however was drawn to the figure who was sitting on the edge of her bed with her gaze on the floor.

"Samantha?" Sirius knelt down in front of her. Her magenta blue eyes were glassy, dull and vacant. They stared at the tiled floor but it was obvious that she didn't see anything at all; she had retreated to the farthest reaches of her own mind.

"I'm sorry Sam…I should have went with you. I should have protected you I'm sorry! Please say something Sam…talk to me." Sirius pleaded but got no response.

Sirius felt heat rise to his face in shame, and he growled deep in his throat, finding that anger was a far easier emotion to deal with. "Say something! Yell at me! Call me an idiot!" he demanded. The girl didn't even blink. It was as though she had been rendered blind, deaf, and mute in one fell stroke. And in a sense, Sirius supposed, that was true.

The realization made him even angrier at himself, and he grit his teeth. "Yell at me, Damnit!" he exclaimed, grabbing Samantha by her shoulders and shaking her roughly. Her head lolled limply, as though she didn't have the faculties to hold it straight.

He heard a murmur of disapproval somewhere to his right, and he turned to see that the woman was pinning a glare on him. Rebuked, the man stepped backwards and Samantha fell limply against the bed. Sirius let out a shuddering sigh and ran trembling fingers through his shaggy hair.

"Damn it, Samantha," Sirius grumbled, shaking his head, and wrenching his gaze from her limp, broken form. And then the woman was at her ward' side, a calloused palm pressed against Samantha's young cheek.

"You should go." The woman said "You've upset the poor dear."

"Upset her!" Sirius yelled motioning to the limp woman "How can I've upset her if she can't feel anything!"

"Get out!" the woman ordered sharply "You've caused enough trouble for one day! Don't come back or so help me I'll call some aurors on you!" the woman's voice got more demonic as the seconds passed and soon Sirius wasn't looking at a middle-aged healer but his cousin Bellatrix

Sirius awoke with a jump his breaths were coming in gasps and soon a pair of arms wrapped around his shoulders.

"Sirius are you alright?" It was Samantha, thank god it was Samantha. He looked at her in the dark her long gold hair was messy and she looked frightened. Her hand was resting on her swollen stomach.

"Yeah I'm fine go back to sleep." He said giving her a kiss on the forehead. Samantha gave him one last worried look and lay down again.

Sirius ran a hand through his hair and vowed to go and talk to James tomorrow.


	4. Remus's Second Biggest Fear

**Remus's Second Biggest Fear**

_**I'm NOT JK Rowling and I don't own Harry Potter!**__ This is written for __EvylinDevilin's__ Choose Your Path Challenge. _

"You realize what day this is." Samantha said from the kitchen.

"Don't remind me." Sirius groaned glancing at Remus's bedroom door and then the calendar on the wall.

"Any ideas for this time?" Samantha asked poking her head into the living room.

"We could always tell him we're taking him to that muggle park…what's it called? Disneyland?" Sirius suggested

"We used that one two months ago and it didn't work." Samantha replied. Sirius groaned and rubbed his temples.

"Um…We could threaten him at wand point?"

"You promised him you'd not use that one."

"Damn, what about telling him his mother called and told him to go?"

"He'd phone her to get the proof." Samantha countered.

"I forgot about that." Sirius mumbled "Then do you have any suggestions?"

"Easy," Samantha replied walking over and sitting down beside Sirius "Bribe him with alcohol."

"What makes you think that he'll choose alcohol over--"

"Choose alcohol over what?" Remus asked poking his head out of his bedroom. Sirius and Samantha exchanged a very brief glance and looked at Remus again.

"Over…doing the dishes!" Samantha said. "I told you Sirius! Remus would never choose alcohol over doing the dishes! Unlike some men I could mention!"

"It was one time!" Sirius caught on.

"One time too many!"

"Oh come on Sam! I've did it every other time!" Sirius whined.

"You're doing tonight and that's--" Remus's bedroom door slammed shut again as he tried to avoid the fake argument.

"You think he suspects something?" Sirius asked.

"Most probably." Samantha answered.

"We're screwed."

"Indeed."

"But we're going to try anyway?"

"Definitely."

Two hours, a broken plant pot and a tantrum later they were dragging a struggling Remus down a street. Remus struggled against Sirius and Samantha's grip.

"Mooney!" Sirius hissed when Remus managed to break free of his hold for a brief second "You're acting like a three year old!"

"I've told you I don't want to go and I don't need a haircut!" Remus whined whiled struggling. Samantha glanced up at Remus's shaggy hair which looked like it hadn't been cut in over a year when in actual fact it was cut only a few months ago.

"Remus stop it! Muggles are staring!" Samantha hissed as she spotted several muggles pointing at them, making signs at their heads and making cuckoo noises.

"I don't care!" Remus hissed back "I'm not going into that place! You know I'm scared of scissors!"

"How you ever got that one I don't know." Sirius grumbled as he and Samantha shoved Remus through the door of a barbershop.

Remus stared around with a large frown while Samantha and Sirius caught their breaths from dragging and pushing Remus. Sirius and Samantha exchanged a brief look when an old man approached them.

"Hello Mr Jameson." Samantha greeted with a smile.

"Ah, hello again Sarah." Mr Jameson saw the look on Sirius face as he tried to contain his laughter "I got wrong again didn't I?"

Samantha gave a small nod and gave him a kind smile "It's Samantha." She said.

"I'm so sorry!" The man replied "I would forget my own head if it wasn't attached."

"It's alright." Samantha assured him. Mr Jameson smiled and then looked at the scowling Remus

"I take it your friend needs another hair cut." Mr Jameson said.

"Yep." Sirius said with a nod. "Is it ok if we leave him here? Sam and I need to get some things."

"It's no problem." Mr Jameson said and Remus's scowl deepened "Goodbye Samantha, Goodbye Steve."

"Steve?" Sirius mumbled on his way out the door.


	5. Doomsday

**Snapshots**

**Doomsday**

_**I'm NOT JK Rowling and I don't own Harry Potter!**__ This is written for __EvylinDevilin's__ Choose Your Path Challenge. _

Sirius Black and James Potter hid in the bushes near the Shrieking Shack. They were silently watching and both had looks of intense concentration instead of their usual happy and carefree expressions. They weren't alone either; Remus, Mad-Eye, Kingsley, Marlene and several other Order of the Phoenix members were surrounding the dilapidated building.

"We're going in first Padfoot." James said in a barely audible whisper to his best friend.

"I know Prongs. We're the distraction right?" Sirius asked in an equally low tone.

"Yep that's us." Replied James. The two young men slunk forward slowly making sure to stay in the shadows and not be spotted. They weren't prepared for the two people they had come to save die, not on their watches. At an invisible signal Sirius shifted from man to dog and advanced ahead of James. The bear-like black dog wove speedily between the trees towards the shack while his friend hung back slightly.

The Shrieking Shack loomed in front of Padfoot; its crumbling exterior didn't at all reflect the danger that lay inside with the two lives they had come to save. Padfoot pressed himself close against the wall of the shack as he made his silent advance towards a closed window. The dog propped his front paws on the window ledge and peered inside.

The dirty window partially obscured the figures in the room within yet Padfoot could make out three black cloaked individuals but there was no one else in the room with them.

"Ugh! This is so boring!" whined one cloaked figure who was closest to the door. "We've been waiting here for three hours!"

"Shut up!" Padfoot shuddered at his cousin Bellatrix's voice she was standing in the middle of the room. "The Dark Lord will be here soon."

"Why would he want you on guard duty? One pregnant women and her friend is hardly worth your presence." The third figure pointed out.

Padfoot didn't stay to hear Bellatrix's reply, he slunk around the building where he had seen James disappear. James had found an open window and looked up when he saw Padfoot approaching.

"Three Death Eaters. Lily and Sam aren't with them so they must be in another room." Sirius said once he had shifted back into his human form "One of the Death Eaters is Bellatrix."

"Not good." James whispered "What's she doing here?"

"No clue." Sirius replied. "Take it that's our way in."

"Yep." James said hoisting himself through the window quickly followed by Sirius.

They landed in a room that looked like it had once been a sitting room. The room was covered in dust with large cobwebs on almost every surface and what little furniture was in the room was covered in large dusty sheets. The two men drew their wands, James moved back to the window and signalled it was safe for the Order to approach.

Sirius glanced around the room again trying to find any indication that Lily and Samantha had been here.

"Have you found them yet?" Remus asked as soon as he was through the window.

"No." James answered "But we will."

Frank Longbottom, Fabian and Gideon Prewett all scrambled through the window after Remus, wands drawn.

"Be careful, there are three Death and more on the way." Sirius said which was met by nods from the small group. Suddenly from above their heads came the sound of loud banging and scraping.

"OI! WILL YOU TWO BIRDS SHUT UP!" came a gruff yell from the next room causing all the Order members to jump. The banging subsided

"Guess we know where Sam and Lily are now." Sirius muttered to James. James gave a brief nod at his friend's statement

"Now we have to find a way to get to them."

"Do you still have your cloak?" Remus asked. James nodded and withdrew the cloak from an inside pocket of him coat, before throwing it over himself, Sirius and Remus.

The three friends moved silently through the Shrieking Shack stopping occasionally when a floorboard squeaked under their feet or they heard the sound of an argument from the three Death Eaters.

Upon reaching the top floor the banging and scraping began again leading James, Sirius and Remus to the last room on the left.

"WILL YOU TWO QUIETEN DOWN OR I WILL PERSONALLY SEE TO YOU!" yelled Bellatrix from below them. The three friends slipped off the cloak and James pointed his wand at the door.

"Alohomora." He whispered and the lock on the door clicked. They pushed open the door and suddenly a vase smashed into the doorframe almost hitting James's head. James, Sirius and Remus threw open the door to find Samantha standing with another vase in hand ready to throw it at them again, over Lily who was sitting on the dusty floor.

"Sirius! Remus! James!" Samantha said happily dropping the vase she was holding so it landed with a smash on the floor "You came for us!"

Lily pushed herself to her feet and ran at James while Samantha did the same to Sirius.

"Some of the Order are downstairs." Remus said "We're going to get you out of here."

_Crack!_

The sound of someone apparating caused all five pairs of eyes to look at the dusty window. Samantha approached the window and looked out her eyes widened and she turned back to her friends.

"I-It's him!" she said sounding terrified.

"You three have to leave!" Lily said.

"We aren't leaving without you two!" James declared.

"If you stay he'll kill you too!" Samantha said "Just go! We'll be alright!"

"No Sam! I'm not leaving you and Lily here!" Sirius said.

"Please!" Lily begged sounding close to tears. Remus looked once at his friends and then turned his gaze to the distraught women.

"I have a plan." He said.

When the door opened again five minutes later it was Bellatrix, Voldemort and at least ten other Death Eaters.

"Here they are My Lord." Bellatrix said not bothering to hide her smile of triumph.

"Wrong Trixie!" Sirius yelled. James, Sirius and Remus were standing in the middle of the room wands pointing at the Death Eaters and Voldemort, Samantha and Lily were nowhere to be found.

"You!" Bellatrix hissed pointing her own wand at her cousin "What have you done with my prisoners?"

"They're safe!" James answered. "Stupefy!"

Chaos erupted in the small room, the Order members who were downstairs surged upstairs to fight off the Death Eaters while James, Sirius and Remus fought Bellatrix and Lord Voldemort.

Curses flew left and right, flashes of multicolored flashes illuminated the walls of the Shrieking Shack.

Lily and Samantha who were under James's invisibility cloak were having trouble dodging them while trying to get to the door. Samantha suddenly tripped and fell, the cloak slipped off her and all eyes turned to her.

Bellatrix who was closest to her grabbed her and held her wand up to Samantha's throat. Sirius moved forward

"Take another step and she dies." Bellatrix warned pushing her wand further into Samantha's neck for emphasis. Samantha gave a small whimper

"You bitch!" Sirius hissed "Let her go!"

"Like I said; come any closer and she dies." Bellatrix and Voldemort were slowly backed towards the door dragging Samantha with them.

"Sirius." Samantha whimpered which earned her a jab in the neck with the tip of Bellatrix's wand. Without warning

"AVADA KADAVRA!" A green flash illuminated the room and Bellatrix shoved Samantha's body back at Sirius before she and Voldemort disapparated with a crack.

There was a brief moment of complete silence as everyone took in Samantha's dead body. There was a rustle as Lily removed the invisibility cloak. Sirius's expression was one of complete shock and disbelief

"NOOOOO!" Sirius yelled falling on his knees clutching his hair in his hands. Lily, James and Remus could only look on as their friend grieved.


	6. Asking Her Out On A Date? Fail!

**Snapshots**

**Asking Her Out On A Date? Fail!**

_**I'm NOT JK Rowling and I don't own Harry Potter! Anything you don't recognise belongs to me!**__ This is written for __xakemii's__ Declining A Date Challenge and __Schermionie__'s Fail Better Challenge._

**Attempt 1:**

Charms class first thing on a Monday morning was always a boring affair. Half the class looked like death warmed up while the other half were asleep. Sirius gave a large yawn; he had stayed up all night wondering how he would ask Samantha Clearwater out on a date. After much puzzling he decided to do it the old fashioned way, with a note. When Flitwick wasn't looking he quickly scribbled down:

_Hey Sam, will you go out with me next Saturday?_

With a quick glance at Flitwick who still wasn't looking, he prayed that his chaser skills wouldn't fail him and threw the scrunched up paper ball at the golden haired girl sitting on the other side of the classroom. His aim was true as it hit her arm causing her to look up from the textbook she was reading. Sirius watched with bated breath as she scanned his note and then took her quill and scribbled on the page. Flitwick turned around and she shot her hand in the air to ask a question.

When Flitwick had turned his back yet again Samantha threw the note back at Sirius before returning her attention to her textbook. The ball of paper bounced off Sirius's head and landed in his lap. He smoothed out the paper and read the note.

_I'm sorry to have to tell you this but I just found out we're related. I'm sorry but I don't date family._

**Attempt 1: FAIL!**

**Attempt 2:**

"Why did I let you drag me into this?" Remus whispered as they peaked around a shelf in the library.

"Simple. You were careless and I had a camera." Sirius replied in a hushed tone. There was a 'Ssh' from Madame Pince and both teenagers flinched.

"Where is she?" Remus asked straining to see if he could spot their quarry.

"There!" Sirius declared pointing to a small desk near the back where Samantha was sitting with her back to them.

"SSHH!"

"Sorry." Sirius whispered. Sirius then turned and looked a Remus and Remus looked alarmed.

"No!" he hissed

"Oh C'mon!"

"No! If you want her to go out with you, you have to ask her!"

"Fine then Mooney you leave me with no choice." Sirius withdrew from his pocket a picture. "This picture will be copied and owled to every Gryffindor student and posted around the school."

"Give me that!" Remus hissed his eyes wide as he made a grab for the picture. Sirius expertly dodged him

"All it takes to stop that happening is eight little words."

"Fine." Remus whispered in defeat. Sirius watched his friend approach Samantha's table. Samantha looked up from her work and smiled at Remus. The two began having a conversation but Sirius couldn't hear what they were saying. Remus laughed, bade Samantha farewell and returned to Sirius.

"She says she can't go out with you." Remus whispered.

"What! Why?"

"She never goes out in days that end in "Y"" Remus said with a shrug and grabbed the picture from Sirius's hand.

"DAMN IT!"

"SSSHHH!"

**Attempt 2: FAIL!**

**Attempt 3:**

_Alright_ Sirius thought to himself as he walked down to the Common Room. _It's now or never! If I screw this up there is no hope! I'll probably try again anyway._

Sirius saw her sitting with Lily in two armchairs near the fire. He could practically hear James sniggering as he approached the two girls. Lily was the first to notice him coming and instantly glanced around to see if James was nearby.

"Don't worry, he's in the dormitory." Sirius said "I was actually coming to talk to Samantha."

"What is it now Sirius?" Samantha asked sounding somewhere between bored and annoyed.

"Will you go to Hogsmead with me tomorrow?" Sirius asked. Samantha glanced at Lily and then turned back to Sirius.

"I'm sorry but I can't." Samantha said.

"Why? Has Amos already asked you?" Sirius asked.

"No."

"Does Philip need to be watched?" Sirius asked, that one would most likely be true.

"No."

Has Thadeus banned you from seeing me?" Sirius asked envisioning Samantha's older brother.

"No."

"Then why the hell not?"

"There's a disturbance in the Force." Samantha answered and Lily clamped a hand over her mouth to prevent herself from laughing.

**Attempt 3: FAIL!**

**Attempt 4 (starting to lose hope):**

Potions class! The one time that Sirius and Samantha had no choice but be together! Sirius and Samantha were brewing a potion at their desk near the back of the classroom. Perfect for having private conversations.

"Hand me the Wolfs bane." Samantha said. Sirius handed her the substance almost robotically, he had been reduced to handing Samantha the ingredients while she did everything else.

Sirius was getting bored fast, the worse part was it was a double period. Sirius gave Samantha a sideways glance, maybe now wouldn't be a bad time?

"Pass me the Fennel." Samantha said. Sirius didn't really look at the table but wordlessly handed her the jar. Samantha tipped some of the contents into the potion which turned it canary yellow.

"Sam, I was wondering if you would-" Sirius didn't get to finish what he was about to say as the potion made a hissing sound and promptly exploded. Samantha turned to him with a glare

"I said FENNEL! Not EUCALIPTUS LEAVES!" She yelled.

"Will you go out with me now?" Sirius asked.

"No I will not because thanks to you we have to start ALL OVER AGAIN! Besides I'm shaving my dog tonight."

**Attempt 4: EPIC FAIL!**

**Attempt 5 (getting desperate):**

_Bloody rain!_ Sirius thought as he stood on the pitch in the pouring rain. James stood looking miserable on one side and Marlene McKinnon stood solemnly on his other.

"What's wrong? Do you rust?" was her reply to his complaints. The Quidditch captain Benjamin Wood was drilling them hard today.

"Just suck it in." James hissed.

"Maybe we can ask one of the beaters to 'accidentally' hit him with a bludger." Sirius said.

"You two are going to get kicked off the team!" Marlene warned.

"Only if we get caught." James replied with a smirk.

"Just shut up Potter and get on your broom." Marlene said while mounting her own.

After nearly an hour in the pouring rain passing the quaffle to James and Marlene, Sirius was ready to kill Benjamin Wood. When practice was finally over and the sodden Quidditch players trooped into the changing room it took all Sirius's self restraint not to strangle Wood when he began preaching about their strategy.

"Well done team! Benjamin said before he left "I'll see you next Monday for the match against Ravenclaw!"

Sirius, James and Marlene walked slowly back to the Common Room, questioning Benjamin's sanity all the way. The Sirius saw Samantha standing outside the Entrance Hall.

"I'll see you later guys." Sirius said to James and Marlene as they walked through the door.

"Hi Sam!" Sirius said faking cheerfulness.

"Samantha!" Samantha snapped.

"So Samantha…"

"What?"

"Will you go out with me?"

"I think you want the _OTHER_ Samantha Clearwater." She said before turning and walking through the door to the Entrance Hall.

**Attempt 5: FAIL!**

**Attempt 6 (the end is nearing):**

"Please!"

"No!"

"Please!"

"No!"

"Pretty please?"

"Still no!"

"Why now?"

"The President said he might drop in."

**Attempt 6: FAIL!**

Sirius approached Samantha; she was crying uncontrollably clutching a letter for dear life. She had been pulled out of Transfiguration and told her brother Thadeus had been killed during a Ministry raid.

Sirius sat beside her on the grass near the lake, Samantha didn't even acknowledge his presence.

"W-W-Why h-him? H-He was j-just twenty!" Samantha sobbed. Sirius said nothing but pulled her into a hug so her head was resting on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

"H-He p-p-promised he'd come h-h-home!" Samantha cried, Sirius's shoulder was getting very damp.

"He was a good man."

"S-Sirius?" Samantha said drying her tears slightly.

"Yeah?"

"I can't go out with you…not now… my mother would never let me hear the end of it."

"I know…you just lost your brother Sam."

"B-But one day…when it's alright again."

**Attempt 7: One Day.**


	7. The Unknown Black

**The Unknown Black**

_**I'm NOT JK Rowling and I don't own Harry Potter anything you don't recognise belongs to me.**_

_Seventeen at last_ thought Evan as he watched the dawn of a new year through Naomi's bedroom window. Naomi was asleep beside him they were alone in the house. Naomi's mother Siobhan had dragged the rest of the family to their grandparent's house. He smiled when Naomi muttered his name in her sleep and reached out for him. His smile vanished when she turned her left palm up to reveal the scar running diagonally across it, a souvenir from the Battle of Hogwarts. He touched his own scar on his left forearm where the Dark Mark once was, now there was a scar like his arm had been badly burned.

It had been a year since the Battle of Hogwarts and the wizarding world was still recovering. Hogwarts had reopened in late September that year and it had been difficult going back after having to attend the funerals of their fellow students. Naomi was the reason he had went back for his sixth year and now his seventh. Evan had been getting glares from most of the students when they had found out about him being an ex-death eater but Naomi stood up for him and so did Cúshla, Sarah and Livvy.

Naomi was the eternal optimist she had told him to focus on what he wanted to be once he had left Hogwarts. She was going to be the potions mistress at St Mungos when she left Hogwarts, though Evan knew that she secretly wanted to teach the subject. Evan doubted that anyone would want to hire him; after all he had been a death eater. He had wanted to become a professional quidditch player preferably for the Appleby Arrows. Madame Hooch had told him that it would be a realistic dream as he was one of the best Slytherin keepers she had seen. She had sent out an owl to the Captain of the Appleby Arrows to invite him to Evan's next game against Ravenclaw when term restarted.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a tap on the window. Naomi's barn owl Zuzu, his screech owl Apollo and a brown owl he had never seen before were waiting to be let in. He got up and opened the window letting all three owls fly in. Zuzu and Apollo perched themselves on the top of Naomi's wardrobe while the brown owl landed on Naomi's desk beside her computer. Evan moved to Apollo first and the owl stuck out his leg so Evan could get the letter off his leg. It was from Sarah:

_Hey Evan!_

_Happy Birthday! Seventeen at last you old geezer! =P only joking! I couldn't send your present with Apollo because it's too big. Livvy and Cúshla say Happy B-day as well. Say hi to Naomi for me will you? I'm missing you lot like mad!_

_See ya at Hogwarts! Sarah._

Evan couldn't help but laugh at Sarah's letter, she always had the ability to cheer him up no matter how depressed he was. Apparently she had got him a large present even though every year he told her not to get him anything and knowing Sarah she would probably throw a party for him as soon as they were back at Hogwarts. He groaned internally at the very thought of having to drag Sarah to the Room of Requirement because she had passed out drunk while listening to Cúshla's lecture on how Sarah should have been more responsible.

He moved to the owl that had landed on the desk and it stuck its leg out for him, it had a two letters and a small parcel for him. One of the letters was bearing the ministry's seal and the other was handwritten. He picked up the one from the ministry

_Dear Sir,_

_We have had this letter and parcel in our possession for sixteen years. It was left with instructions to send it to you on the date of 1__st__ January 1999. _

_Yours sincerely,_

_Tabatha McCormack_

_The Wills and Heirlooms Office._

_Ministry Of Magic_

Evan read the letter again someone had left him something sixteen years ago, who? What? He tried to think who would leave him something in an office that dealt with wills and heirlooms. The only person he could think of that had died and would want to leave him something would have been his mother. What would his mother have left him that he could only have once he had turned seventeen? He picked up the handwritten letter.

_My sweet child Evan,_

_Congratulations on turning seventeen, I wish I was there to celebrate it with you. I love you more than anyone in the whole world remember that when you read this. I've decided to put the truth in this letter as I won't be there to tell you myself. No doubt you are asking yourself what is the truth? It is difficult to write, so I will write it bluntly. Alden Downes is not your father._

_You are now probably wondering who your real father is. Your father is Sirius Black; he is the only man I have ever loved. Your real name is Evan Thadeus Black not Downes. It is a long story and I am not sure I could tell you properly so you will understand my actions so I have left you my memories._

_All my love and best wishes._

_Your mother, Samantha Ellen Downes._

Evan stared at the letter unsure what to say or think. He reread the letter several times thinking he might have misread it at some point. Evan clutched the parchment like it was a lifeline. He couldn't help but notice the subtle similarities between his handwriting and hers like how her capital letters towered over the rest. Then he eyed the package that came with the letters, his mother's last and most precious gift.

Evan tiptoed down the stairs as quietly as he could, stepping over the squeaky steps so he wouldn't wake Naomi. He carried the package from his mother in his hand, he wanted to see her memories for himself. He made his way to the kitchen, he all but lived at the Skilling's house during the summer so he knew where everything was kept. Evan took a bowl from the cupboard and placed on Siobhan's spotless worktop before pulling out the ornate flask which contained his mother's memories. Evan poured the silvery substance that seemed neither liquid nor gas into it and then plunged his face into it.

Evan fell through black nothingness and then his feet hit solid ground. He peered around he assumed because the circular room was decorated in shades of red and gold he was in the Gryffindor Common Room. He frowned in confusion, Alden Downes had always told him that his mother had been in Slytherin. There seemed to be a party going on around him. There was loud music playing and Gryffindor students were drinking butter bear and chatting. Then he saw her. Samantha was sitting in one of the armchairs near the fire reading a book and obviously trying to block out the noise around her.

Samantha had long golden hair which reached halfway down her back and had two small braids in it. Her eyes were the same colour as his, dark blue. Eva approached her to get a better look at her, she looked almost nothing like him except for the eyes. On closer inspection he did notice some subtle similarities between them.

"Sam!" both Evan and Samantha turned to look up at Sirius Black. "Why aren't you enjoying the party? It's your birthday!"

"I need to study." She replied not looking up from her books.

"Oh come on! Have some fun you're seventeen! There's always tomorrow!" Sirius said.

"The charms test is tomorrow." Samantha replied sounding slightly annoyed. Sirius frowned at her

"You're the only person I know who would rather study on their birthday than have a party." He stated sitting in the armchair beside hers.

"Because I have my priorities straight."

"You've been studying for that test for a week! One party won't kill you!" Sirius attempted to reach for Samantha's book but she slammed it shut before he could reach it.

"Look Sirius it's our N.E.W.T.s this year and I want to be able to teach Charms so I have to pass this test." She said turning to look at him for the first time. Sirius slung an arm around her shoulders

"You're going to ace that test Sam! You know that text book inside out if you don't pass that'll be the day when Lily actually agrees to go out with James." He said confidently. Samantha still looked doubtful

"You think so?" she asked looking at her hands.

"I know so now stop studying and start partying." Sirius said pulling Samantha to her feet. Samantha smiled at Sirius

"You're a good friend Sirius." She said. Sirius frowned for the briefest second and then smiled at her again.

"You too Sam."

The scene changed and Evan was standing in a deserted corridor. Samantha stormed around the corner her expression was murderous. Sirius ran behind her and grabbed her arm and spun her around so she faced him.

"Piss off Sirius!" Samantha snapped.

"Just listen to-" Sirius began but Samantha cut him off

"I don't need to! I saw what you did to Alden!" Evan jumped at the name.

"Sam I-" Sirius tried to speak.

"Don't!" She said putting a hand up to stop him "I don't want to hear your apologies because I know you aren't sorry at all!"

"But do you see who he hangs out with! Avery, Mulciber and-" Sirius broke off at the last name. Samantha crossed her arms and glared at him

"Go on." She said her voice was deathly low and menacing.

"Snape." Sirius finally said. Samantha whirled around and stated walking away again. Evan and Sirius ran after her

"Sam wait!" Sirius said.

"I don't want to hear it!"

"It's not because of-" Sirius began again.

"Snape!" Samantha turned to face him her arms crossed tightly over her chest. "I know you hate Alden because he hangs about with Snape. See? You don't even deny it! I don't know what I ever saw in you! You think you're so high and mighty and that all of Hogwarts will worship at your feet but you know what you really are? You're an unbelievable pig Sirius Orion Black and I hate you!" Sirius stood there and let her scream and yell at him he flinched slightly when she said she hated him but other than that he showed nothing but calmness.

"Sam I'm sorry. Really I'm sorry I didn't mean to lose my temper like that but do you know why I did?" he asked. Samantha scowled at him

"Why did you then?" she said rolling her eyes.

"I was jealous of him." Sirius said after a few moments.

"Why you have no reason. You are only my so called best friend. But you aren't acting like it!" She shouted she turned on her heel and stomped of down the hall, holding back the tears that threatened to fall.

"I don't want to be only your best friend." He shouted down the corridor. She froze and turned slowly.

"W-w-what?" She stuttered, Evan thought she had the deer caught in the headlights look about her.

"Samantha Ellen Clearwater I have always loved you and always will." He said softly. Samantha stood in the corridor one moment and then before Evan could blink she was in his arms, crying shamelessly into his shoulder. Evan looked on with weary eyes he couldn't believe what he was seeing. His mother with _Sirius Black_! Then he reminded himself that this man was his own flesh and blood, his...father. Realisation finally hit him and then the scene dissolved.

Evan was standing in the middle of a crowded London street his eyes scanned the crowd for the golden haired woman that was his mother. Then as if on cue he saw her enter The Leaky Cauldron and ran after her. She looked a couple of years older about nineteen or twenty years old so she had left Hogwarts. She moved through the dimly lit pub and through to the courtyard. Pulling her wand from her handbag she tapped the brick and the entrance to Diagon Alley opened in front of her. She walked quickly down the street and past Gringotts then down a side street. Samantha stopped outside a large apartment building and sucked in a deep breath

"Calm...he's going to be ecstatic...no fear." She muttered to herself in reassurance before entering the building with Evan following her. She soon arrived at flat number 303 and after a brief hesitation knocked on the door. The door swung open to reveal a younger and less grey Remus Lupin.

"Hey Sam!" he greeted Samantha.

"Hi Remus is Sirius in yet?" she asked after giving Remus a hug.

"Yeah he is...he's a bit beaten up though." Remus said frowning a little. "The Order was in a battle last night. It's nothing serious just some cuts and bruises." Samantha nodded and stepped through the door with Evan following after her.

She closed the door and _really_ looked at Remus he was scratching his usually messed up hair and wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. Samantha looked at him then the clock and back to him. She blinked and asked astonished,

"Remus are you only up? I left at nine!" He nodded and yawned. "Mooney it is _12 o'clock in the afternoon!_" She exclaimed, he shrugged his shoulders and went back to his bedroom. She sighed and shook her head at that moment Sirius walked through the door of their room looking bored and sleepy. But the moment he caught sight Samantha he brightened and woke up. He rushed over to her and gave her a hug.

"Hi baby." He said with obvious joy.

"First of all, hey Sirius. Second of all I have something important to tell you."

"So what is this very important information for me." He laughed and then grew serious "What is it Sam? Are you sick? Is it your parents? Has Philip done something stupid again?" He asked frantic She rubbed her hand up and down his arm soothingly.

"Shh shh calm down shh." She cooed he did and smiled at her.

"What is it you wanted to tell me?" He questioned, she took a deep breath.

"Sirius you might want to sit down." He shook his head.

"No it is okay I'll stand. Remember I am a big, tough, strong, stunningly handsome man." He said. Evan rolled his eyes; man did his dad have a big head. Maybe he needed to do an Uncle James and deflate his head a little bit. After it is the reason Aunt Lily finally admitted she loved him. Samantha rolled her eyes and murmured,

"On your head be it." She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, tensed up and shouted at top speed "Siriusiampregnent!" Sirius paused, stopped breathing, turned red then blue then purple and fell to the ground unconscious.

"Well don't say I didn't warn you." Samantha whispered as she ran to his side. Evan was rolling about on the ground laughing at his dad. He stopped suddenly and stood up. He was shocked he had just called Sirius Black, _the_ Sirius Black the notorious mass murderer, his d-d-dad. Even in his thoughts he felt some degree of satisfaction to here this. He shook his head and looked back to his mum. She had just entered the pit. Also known as Remus' bedroom, he followed her in.

"Remus!" she hissed "Remus! Get up!" she raised her voice and octave.

"Five more minutes mum." Remus groaned and rolled over. Samantha crossed her arms and said

"Remus I need to get Sirius to St Mungos."

"Why?" Remus asked poking the top of his head over the covers.

"I think he's fainted from lack of oxygen to the brain." Samantha replied.

"You need a brain for that." Remus answered and Samantha and Evan both sniggered but Samantha coughed to cover hers. She then marched over to Remus's bed and shook him then shrieked

"REMUS JOHN LUPIN! GET YOURSELF OUT OF THIS BED! I'M A HORMONAL AND PREGNANT WOMAN SO GET UP AND GET SIRIUS TO ST MUNGOS NOW!"

"Alright...You're pregnant!" Remus said uncovering his ears but then he jumped out of bed and Evan and Samantha both shielded their eyes, as unfortunately for them Remus had no clothes on. Evan noticed that Remus looked blurred and out of focus, probably because Samantha was trying to forget this part.

"The sky is blue and you are naked! Now that we've pointed out the obvious please for the love of all that is good in this world put some clothes on!" Samantha said as she all but sprinted out of the room.

The scene changed again and Evan was standing in a park. He glanced around in confusion and spied his mother and his father in muggle clothing sitting on a park bench a few metres from where he was standing. He couldn't hear the conversation they were having so he moved closer

"...don't understand. Why not you?" Samantha asked.

"You-Know-Who would suspect me. It's for the best." Sirius replied.

"I'm scared for them Sirius." Samantha said crossing her arms over her chest. "This couldn't be happening to them...to Harry."

"But it is." Sirius's frown deepened.

"What about Little Muffin when he or she comes into the world?" Samantha placed a hand on her abdomen where only the faintest trace of a bump was. Evan frowned at the name his unborn self had been dubbed, Little Muffin? Who on earth came up with that?

"We'll be ok." Sirius said but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself as well as Samantha "You, Little Muffin and me will all be fine."

"How could you possibly know that?" Samantha exclaimed "James, Lily and Harry could all die tomorrow for all we know! You-Know-Who could be at their house now! Death Eaters could come for us now Sirius! We'll never be safe with this war going on around us!" Sirius placed his hands on Samantha's shoulders. Samantha looked up from her lap and stared at Sirius.

"Listen to me Samantha." He said "We can't think like that. If we do then it's as good as giving in and I know you Samantha Clearwater! You never give up! Your one of the strongest people I know!"

"But Sirius-" Samantha began.

"No buts." Sirius said "I'm not going to let you give up Sam. Because if you give up then there's no hope for any of us."

"Sirius...this is a war and I don't want our child to have to grow up surrounded by danger."

There was a long moment of complete silence and then Sirius looked at Samantha.

"Marry me."

"Wait...you...What?"

"Marry me Samantha Clearwater." Sirius shifted from the bench so he was down on one knee in front of Samantha.

"Sirius! You don't just jump to these decisions! Yes we might be killed, yes this child might have to grow up without one of us but you can't just jump this on me! It's because I'm pregnant isn't it? That's the only reason you even thought of this!" Samantha exclaimed.

"That's not true." Sirius replied earnestly.

"Prove it!"

Sirius reached into his coat pocket and Evan leaned forward wondering what he was retrieving. Sirius pulled out a small velvet box and a small slip of paper.

"I bought this last year...I just didn't know when to ask." Sirius said handing both the box and the paper to Samantha "The receipt proves that."

Samantha stared at both for a long while before finally looking up at Sirius.

"I'm sorry. I jumped to conclusions...it's just I don't know what to think." She said.

"Just say "yes"" Sirius said with a smile.

"Yes I'll marry you Sirius Orion Black." Samantha said with a glowing smile.

The scene changed again and Evan was catapulted into a dimly lit room. He heard wails and sobs coming from behind him and spun to see his heavily pregnant mother lying on a bed sobbing her heart out. An elderly woman with a mournful expression, sat on the edge of the bed with a hand on Samantha's back.

"T-They c-can't be! J-J-James and L-Lily aren't d-d-dead!" Samantha sobbed into the blankets.

The woman said nothing for a long moment then sighed

"I'm afraid they are Samantha." She said rubbing soothing circles onto Samantha's back.

"T-T-They can't be! They j-just can't!"

"Samantha-"

"W-Where's Sirius?" Samantha asked sitting up and turning to look at the woman. She didn't answer for a long time

"He has been arrested...he's a Death Eater. He betrayed Lily and James to You-Know-Who."

"What?" Samantha asked in disbelief while wiping her tears away "What did you say?"

"Sirius is a Death Eater." The woman replied slowly.

"No! He isn't! Sirius isn't a Death Eater! He couldn't have possibly betrayed Lily and James!"

The woman looked at Samantha with a confused expression.

"What do you mean?"

"He didn't betray them! He is innocent! He couldn't have betrayed them because he wasn't their secret keeper!" Samantha said.

"But the Daily Prophet said that he was the Potter's secret keeper."

"The Daily Prophet is wrong!"

"Then who-?"

"Peter Pettigrew! They changed secret keeper because Sirius was too obvious. Pettigrew betrayed James and Lily! He is the one to blame!" Samantha fumed.

"Pettigrew is dead." The woman said softly. "Murdered along with twelve muggles...by Sirius."

"No! Sirius would never do that! He wouldn't kill innocent people!" Samantha argued.

"Samantha...we have other things to worry about now." The woman said taking Samantha's hands in her own. Her eyes darted down to Samantha's baby bump and then back up to her face.

"What do you mean?"

"Samantha is the child Sirius's?" The woman asked. Samantha gave a jerky nod

"Yes, it's his...why?"

"Samantha, if someone discovers that this Sirius Black's child...you will be hunted down without mercy. Sirius Black is a hated criminal now...his child would be in great danger and so would you." She said, worry etched into her face.

"I don't understand..."

"You have to marry someone else! Pass this child off as someone else's or you both will be in great danger."

"Mum!" Samantha exclaimed pulling her hands out of her mother's grasp. Evan's eyes widened as he looked at his grandmother, he had never met her. "I can't! I love Sirius! He proposed to me! I can't turn around and marry someone else!"

"You must! Think of your child Samantha!"

"Please mum!" Samantha was starting to tear up again "I can't!"

"Please." Samantha's mother placed a hand on her daughter's "Not for me, for your child."

Samantha placed a hand on her swollen stomach and rubbed it for a while.

"Who? Who would I marry?" she asked.

"You remember Alden Downes?"

"Yes, he was my friend."

"Marry him." Samantha's mother insisted "No one will be any the wiser."

Samantha frowned at her hands and Evan was sucked up out of the memories and landed on the tiled floor of the Skilling's kitchen.

**WHOOO! Finally finished! This is the longest one-shot I have ever written! It took me MONTHS to finish this! I blame exams, the school trip to Italy and my parents who banned me from my laptop. **

**This story was co-written with the awesome Emo Alice without whom this story wouldn't have been brought to FanFiction. Please give her all your love and visit her profile. **


	8. Who The Hell Are You?

**Snapshots**

**Who The Hell Are You?**

"There's a new girl in the school." Remus declared at breakfast, sitting down at the Gryffindor table beside James and Sirius.

"What d'you mean?" James asked sticking a forkful of egg in his mouth. "If there was a new student Dumbledore would've told us."

"Well when I was coming down I saw Lily in the Common Room talking to this girl I've never seen before!" Remus said pulling a plate of sausages towards him.

"What did she look like?" Asked Sirius "Did you get her name?"

"No I didn't get her name." Remus said "But she had blonde curly hair, dark blue eyes and was just under your height Sirius. She's in our year I think."

"I've never seen anyone like that in our year who's a Gryffindor." James said. Sirius shrugged

"New meat's always fun especially when they're female. I wonder if Lily's already turned her against you." Sirius said with a smirk at James who scowled at him.

"One day!"

"When you've died most probably." Remus added and Sirius grinned in triumph.

"Why am I friends with you two again?" James asked.

"Well it all started on the train when you and Sirius-" Remus began

"On second thoughts never mind." James said and the nudged Remus "Hey Remus! Is that the new girl?" James asked nodded towards the doors of the Great Hall where Lily and a girl with long curly golden hair were talking. Remus looked up

"Yep, that her." He said. James stood up with Sirius and walked over to them.

"Hey Evans!" James called.

"Potter." Lily replied not even looking at James."Who's your friend?" Sirius asked grinning at her.

"Sirius it's me!" She said

"How'd you know my name?" Sirius asked taking a step back in shock.

"Are you kidding me? We've known each other since we were eleven! You don't tend to forget people you've hated for four years Sirius!" The girl said in an exasperated tone.

"Who the hell are you?" Sirius asked.

"I'm Samantha you twit!" Samantha said.

"Sam?" James asked "What happened to you? Your hair's-"

"Curly, I know. Lily helped my curl my hair I wanted to try something different."

Sirius was secretly pleased when Samantha straightened her hair once more claiming "she was sick of people thinking she was a new student" apparently.


End file.
